The invention relates to a validation system, and more particularly, to a validation system with flow control for validating a target system.
Validation plays a very important role in a design work as design gets bigger and bigger with degree of complexity. Typically, the C model and CAD Tool are conceptual and behavior simulator for a target design which provide basic function validation. However they do have their own limitations when design get too big to keep the simulation time acceptable or one needs to examine the practical function in a real-time manner. For some cases, e.g. a multimedia processor that needs to deal with 30 frames of video per second, using CAD tool to simulate and validate the function of the multimedia processor typically takes a long, long time and hence is hardly a feasible way to be practically used.
In general, the conceptual design starts from the C model. The C model operates in a software environment therefore it relies on execution by a CPU. However, it is also well known that the C model has also lots of limitations, e.g. it is hard to examine the real-time functionality of a target system, to simulate the target system having high-rate input data usually needs a long time that is hardly acceptable for a commercial design schedule.
Another method for validation is to utilize the Field-Programmable-Gate-Array (FPGA) technology. The FPGA is a technology for making integrated circuits. The FPGA is field programmable. This is the key difference that diferentiates it from other conventional chip technologies. Field programmable means that you can re-use chip during design and validation phase whenever you have design change. Using FPGA, it saves tremendous time and money by the way of fast turn-around without highly non-recurring engineering (NRE) cost. At the same time it can provide real-time validation capability.
The invention provide a soltuion which make use of FPGA fast turn-around time, cost saving at the same time provide solution improve FPGA debugging capability in real time application.